Top 10 Jobs Requiring College Education

Money Magazine recently named its top 10 career choices for young people. Here, we review their picks and offer resources to finding a degree to get you started in the field.

Product/Brand Manager
With a bachelor's degree in marketing, or a marketing concentration on a business administration degree, a product manager can expect 21% growth through the next ten years. With a median salary of $90,100 it's not surprising this job is number one on the list.

Registered Nurse
An associate's degree is usually required for one to become licensed as a registered nurse, and job opportunities are plentiful. An RN can specialize in areas such as pediatrics, surgery, orthopedics, or geriatrics and earn a median salary of $59,800. Job growth is expected to be fruitful through the next several years, hovering somewhere around the 29% rate.

Property Manager
In the real estate industry, the management of rental property is a huge enterprise, and those with bachelor's degrees in real estate are some of the most sought-after grads around. Boasting median salaries of $81,400 and a 15% growth rate over the next several years, this career is a hot one for students to consider.

Accountant
Accountants have experienced steady job growth for years, and that trend isn't about to stop. Opportunities are plentiful for grads with bachelor and associate degrees in accounting. Accountants work in all facets of business - for individual companies in all industries, as well as for specialized accounting firms. Opportunities are projected to increase by 22% through the next few years, and median salaries were last reported to be $50,100 per year.

Information Technology Generalist
What would a top 10 jobs list be without a computer-related position? You'd be hard-pressed to find a single organization out there that didn't rely on the day-to-day input of an information technology staff. A wide variety of IT degrees exist, though opportunities are likely best for those with a bachelor's degree. The median salary for an IT generalist was reported at $47,800, while opportunities are expected to increase by 31%.

Engineer
There are dozens of engineering specialties, and they're all hot career options right now. Engineers typically require a bachelor's degree and can look forward to a 15% increase in job opportunities, as well as a median income of $53,600 annually.

Environmental EngineerWhile all engineering specialties offer ample opportunities, there isn't one hotter than environmental engineering. All environmental jobs are booming right now, and environmental engineers with a bachelor's degree will find job opportunities increasing by 30%. With a median annual salary of $52,400 and a worldwide interest in going green, it doesn't look like the environmental engineering industry will be hurting any time soon.

Event Planner
Event planners enjoy a constantly-changing job - no event is ever the same, and no day is ever the same. Opportunities for event planners are expected to increase by 22% and median salaries were last reported to be $52,600 annually. There is no specific college major or degree required to become an event planner, but many who earn degrees in marketing, advertising, human resources, business administration, or hospitality go on to have exciting careers in event planning.

Financial Advisor
More and more people are consulting financial advisors for guidance on how to invest and manage their money. In fact, more and more young people are starting out careers under the advice of a financial advisor. With such an increasing interest in financial advising services, it's no surprise that this is considered one of the best career fields to get into. With a bachelor's degree in finance, a grad can look forward to 12% growth and a median salary of $66,800.

Investment SpecialistAlong the same lines as financial advisors, investment specialists are enjoying 26% career growth as more people plan for retirement and are interested in the stock market. Investment specialists currently enjoy a median salary of $72,000, and most enter the field with a bachelor's degree in finance.